While it might be an issue in our messed up world, it's an issue because the world is MESSED UP. Sure, it might be easier to try to smash yourself into conformity than to give the world the finger and do what you want anyway.

It's like saying that women need to "cover up" or else they're "asking for it" - it's a bunch of crap and that's not what needs to be "fixed". Showing a little ankle doesn't need to be a cause for a freak-out, we need to freak out over the system that says because of the ankle the rape is justified - because the perpetrators are animalistic with no self control when they see that flash of flesh.

We need to stop buying into this system and perpetuating it because we are afraid for ourselves that these people who are mentally decayed might think bad things about us, or people who happen to like things we like.

We shouldn't be worried about "bad press", but about trying to change our lives and harass and demean others so that they better fit into a "desirable" model that is put forth by a broken system. Nobody needs to be shamed for having the courage to make their own choices just so you don't have to fear someone MAYBE thinking you're a sexual deviant if literally all they know about cosplay comes from one news article or TV show.

It's like people saying that a gay man needs to be less effeminate just so that gay men get more respect. If that's who they truly are, screw you for saying they need to stop just so that you won't get teased by small-minded doodle-butts. The idea that being more "normal" - more "straight" more "heteronormative" confers respect IS the problem. Destroy that system, don't feed into it.

I like furries. Furries are freaking awesome. Making a fursuit is some serious-ass costuming and I have mad respect for that. I'm not going to call furries bad names just so that I can look better in comparison. Spreading the word about how furries are awesome is the answer, not saying, "no, no, we're not like them". You're always going to be "them" in some form or another your whole life unless you manage to become the most normal, most bland and averaged-out thing you can possibly be. Strive for that goal, live the dream - fit in.

Cosplay has been around for a long time. I really doubt one unflattering piece of media is going to make everyone and their grandma's uncle do a one-eighty unless those people were just in it for a bunch of flimsy and superficial reasons, anyway. There are already "bad publicity" articles about cosplay, about fans of Japanese media and et cetera.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelley

They clearly want to look sexy, so what ? What's wrong with that ?

Is that any more weird or wrong than wanting to look exactly like a bunch of pixels ?

See, Thor from The Avengers has a pretty big fan-base of girls who think he's SEXY. Maybe they want to cosplay Thor and show their fangirl love for Thor and sexiness in general but don't feel his costume as-is would be as sexy on them as they think it is on the actor. So they make it their own flavour of sexy that fits them. So what ? Yes, some people might find a more covered-up version sexy too or even more sexy - but they're not the one wearing it so they can do whatever they want on their own time.

And so what the girl didn't know what a Rancor was ? Maybe she just saw the movie once or twice and liked the costume. Maybe she just likes it because she thinks it's sexy and doesn't give two craps about Star Wars at all - so what ? My mom owns an Adventure Time shirt because she thought it was cute even though she has no idea what the show is, and while we make fun of her for it there's nothing wrong with doing that. She thought it was cute why can't she enjoy it just because she doesn't know the "lore" ? Is there some lore test we need to pass to be REAL FANS and have the right to wear a costume ? Not everyone takes cosplay seriously - for some it's the same mentality as Halloween and that's OKAY. Why are people so judgemental about how people are allowed to have fun ? You are having fun wrong !

Plenty of people cosplay non-sexy costumes where they don't know the series and it's generally considered fine by people who aren't anal-retentive about who is allowed to like a certain thing - sometimes people pick a costume because they liked the design or the challenge of making it or because their friend wanted them to or whatever. Just buying a costume isn't wrong, either. Not everyone sews or wants to - as long as they don't try to claim they did and win a costume contest based on a falsehood, so what ?

The two girls that you posted, I don't see anything wrong with them or their costumes. I've seen other girls do "sexy female Thor" costumes and while it doesn't make it more legitimate than buying, a lot of them are making these costumes themselves. It's what they want to do and they're having fun. Avengers, especially has a huge female fandom behind it and these girls are doing what THEY want. So what if it's not how YOU would express yourself ?

I can tell the Sexy Link girl put thought into her costume. Everything she's wearing has a game counterpart. Yeah, there are bad "sexy costumes" just like there are bad not-sexy costumes, but I don't think these even fall in that category. If someone likes Legend of Zelda and looking sexy, WHY NOT COMBINE THE TWO. It's like those taco commercials which should teach us an important life lesson - if you like two things POR QUE NO LOS DOS ?

I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH GIRLS BEING SEXY IN A WAY THAT I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE SEXY LET'S CONTROL HOW WOMEN GET TO BE SEXY OKAY GREAT THANKS I CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT NOW WITHOUT HAVING MY FANTASIES DESTROYED BECAUSE SOME GIRL DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE WATER TEMPLE IS BECAUSE I CAN'T GET OFF IF SHE DOESN'T HATE IT TOO BYE

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Originally Posted by Amanita

I admit, I'm not a fan of the sexy female genderbends, but that's because I think the costumes don't really fit the personalities of the characters- Thor wore sensible armor, as opposed to running around bare chested. And Link's tunics looked like practical clothing. Surely there's a way to make those costumes more flattering to the female form, without defaulting to "make it skimpy". But that's a design thing, not a comment on the morals or genuine fannishness of the ladies in those outfits.

Now this is the way to criticize sexy cosplays. Explaining why you dislike the design rather than personally attacking the person wearing it.